China is bringing free antiretroviral therapy (ART) to all citizens living with HIV, the country’s top health authority has announced.
China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission said ART should be available to everyone diagnosed with HIV.
Until now ART has only been available in China to those with a low level of immunity, but with this announcement China is bringing itself into line with countries like Australia and the USA where early treatment is recommended. The strategy of giving early treatment for all is in line with WHO guidelines issued last year.
Wu Hao, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at You An Hospital in Beijing, one of the largest HIV/AIDS treatment centres nationwide, welcomed the initiative.
“It helps with better treatment outcomes for the [person with HIV] and for public health as well,” Wu said.
International studies have shown that people who get on early treatment can reduce the viral load in their bloodstreams to what is called an “undetectable level”.
This not only leads to better health outcomes for the person infected, it also means that person becomes extremely unlikely to pass the virus on to others.
Because this leads to a slowing of the HIV infection rate, this strategy is known as Treatment as Prevention.
Authorities insist it will not force people onto treatment, which must remain voluntary as good drug compliance is essential for the strategy to work.
“Informed consent therefore is required to help [people diagnosed with HIV] prepare for the lifelong therapy,” Wu said.